The Gardner Family Journey

August 2012 Prayer Letter

What a month it has been! This month has been very busy and we have enjoyed serving the Lord through it all. This month we had the privilege of having my sister and her family come to visit us here in the states. We have had a great time spending time with them and seeing how the kids have grown. They are very important members of Omega Baptist Church. They serve tirelessly and are a great help to the church. One of the most difficult things about leaving Peru to come back and help with Joshua’s cleft lip and palate, was having to leave them.

This month I also had the privilege of going to Peru. I had the privilege of preaching in the 14th Youth Conference this year. The pastor that we had invited to preach wasn’t able to make it because his passport didn’t come in on time. It worked out well and I really enjoyed being able to preach. We had many decisions for Christ during the trip and many people rededicated their lives as well. This year we did things totally different than any other year. In the past we have just invited all of the members of the church to come but this year we asked the churches to send their young people. We had around 500 young people gathered for the meetings and it was amazing to watch how God moved.

One of the big privileges that I also had was the privilege of preaching at Omega Baptist Church. It is amazing how God has used Jeremy Hall and the men of the church. The church is healthy and doing well. It is amazing to see how God has moved. Jeremy will be returning to the US during the month of January and David Gardner will be going down 10 days before he leaves. I believe that God will use David in amazing ways when he returns. It was amazing to be able to see many friends from many years. They are still serving the Lord and I am thankful for how they have stepped up to the plate while I have been gone.

I have had the privilege of being in a few of our supporting churches this month and always enjoy being able to go by and thank them for how they have invested in our ministry. I ask you to continue to pray for our family.

Joshua’s last surgery brought many complications that we have had to deal with over the last few months. During the surgery, when they tried to extend the soft palate, the palate was swelling and cut off the airway. Joshua stayed in PICU for a few days and was even intubated. When they put the tube down his throat it ripped the palate back open. On Friday the 3rd of August my wife went to his first speech therapy appointment and found out that in another 2 or 3 months they will have to fix the palate again as well as repair the throat. This has been a very hard time for us but we are thankful for how God has allowed us to grow. Please continue praying for us as we try and deal with the medical bills, the sickness he continually deals with, etc.

We thank you so much for investing in our ministry. Thanks for being there for us.